1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to infant oral products, and entertainment. More specifically to teethers, rattles, and detachable pacifiers.
2. Background Art
Infants universally enjoy sucking and chewing on various “oral elements”; an artificial nipple, commonly termed a “pacifier”, is a primary example. Another example is the large class of “teething” products designed to provide an infant relief from the pain and itching of cutting teeth. Pacifiers and teething elements come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. However, virtually all pacifiers and teething elements are manufactured and sold as small, individual items. The problem with that is that when the infant drops the element, due to lack of coordination, the infant is unable to locate and re-grasp the element. This is frustrating for the infant, and it is also frustrating to the infant's caregiver who must go to the infant, relocate the oral element, and re-position the oral element into the infant's hand or mouth. Attempts have been made to alleviate these problems by attaching the oral element to an object via some sort of handle, toy, or tether, and thus substantially increasing the pleasure of the infant and minimizing frustration to both infant and caregiver.
This pacifier toy pertains to three categories of prior art: 1.) Pacifiers on handles, 2.) Pacifiers attached to a toy, 3.) Liquid filled, frozen pacifiers.
The various patents that have the feature of a “pacifier with a handle” are as follows: Pat. Des. 331,783 Rodriguez (1992); Des. 335,928 Williams (1993); Des. 472,320 Turbeville, Jr. et al. (2003); U.S. Pat. No. 699,757 Howell (1902); U.S. Pat. No. 2,699,785 Allen (1953); U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,937 Verschoor (1966); U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,104 Janklow (1971); U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,117 Herbst (1972); U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,107 Wexler (2000), U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,214 Lynch (2002). These devices fulfill their respective objectives. The unique feature of my invention is dual handles. These handles feature a raised, bumpy grip that offers added texture for both hands and mouth. Another way that my invention differs from the above mentioned patents is that none of them have a removable pacifier. Although U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,104 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,214 seem to have a removable pacifier, neither can be filled.
The various patents that have the feature of a “pacifier attached to a toy” are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,692 Dunn et al. (2001); U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,355 Silverstein (1994), U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,747 Kramer (1980); U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,740 Schneider (2003); and foreign patents # DE19839904 Jerg Thomas, Jerg Ina (2000); GB2388041 Jones Alan Raymond (2003). These patents only further illustrate the logical idea of combining a toy and a pacifier. The unique feature over these patents is that none of these patents incorporate a rattle. Also, these six patents claim the shape of stuffed animals or dolls.
Lastly, the various patents that fit into “liquid filled, frozen pacifiers” are as follows. U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,314 Scheffer, et al. (1997); U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,830 Roust (2004); U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,871 Hansen, et al (1997); U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,089 Sassin (1994); U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,868 Moor, Jr. et al. (1998). My pacifier toy differs from this group of patents in that none of these fluid filled pacifiers have any handles. It has been mentioned in patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,871 Hansen et al. (1997) that “current teething ring designs are uncomfortable for the baby to hold because they are cold from refrigeration”. This statement is referring to teethers such as patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,868, which take the form, generally, of circles, and not pacifiers. It is recognized that coolness (30 degrees to 65 degrees Fahrenheit) is soothing to babies who are teething. It would stand to reason, then, that a handle that would not get cold would make using a cold teether easier to use. Disadvantages of teethers, such as patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,868, which take the form, generally, of circles, is that this ring-like shape does not accommodate natural sucking or provide a natural nipple feel.
While all these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new pacifier toy. My pacifier toy resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified. The general purpose of the present pacifier toy, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new pacifier toy which has many of the advantages of the pacifier toys mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new pacifier toy which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art of pacifier toys, either alone or in any combination thereof.